Screen printing machine for decorating multi-sided articles

ABSTRACT

A screen printing machine for decorating articles having a rectangular section whereby the three sides of such articles are decorated by printing in consecutive order in one setting. Mechanisms in the machine for indexing the articles to be decorated in register together with the printing screen which carries the indicia to be printed on the three of the four sides of the articles in side-by-side relationship.

United States Patent Olsen 15] 3,654,856 [451 Apr. 11,1972

[54] SCREEN PRINTING MACHINE FOR DECORATING MULTI-SIDED ARTICLES [72] Inventor: Thomas W. Olsen, Wayne, NJ.

[73] Assignee: Modern Decorating Company, Passaic County, NJ.

22 Filed: June6, 1969 21 Appl.No.: 831,068

[52] US. Cl ..101/40, 101/126 [51] Int. Cl. ..B4lf 17/24, B411 13/00 [58] Field ofSearch ..101/35,40, 123, 126, 38, 39,

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,881,699 4/1959 l-lakogi ..l0l/39X 3,109,365 11/1963 Karlyn ..101/124 3,160,092 12/1964 Eisen ..101/124 3,159,100 12/1964 Marquiss 3,180,252 4/1965 Fuerst 3,249,043 5/1966 Karlyn et a1 ..101/ 126 X 3,249,045 5/ 1966 Karlyn ..101/126 X 3,260,194 7/1966 Karlyn ..101/126 X 3,286,624 ll/1966 Dubuit ...101/126 X 3,486,441 12/1969 Hillman et al. ..101/35 Primary Examiner-William B. Penn Attorney-Sparrow and Sparrow [57] ABSTRACT A screen printing machine for decorating articles having a rectangular section whereby the three sides of such articles are decorated by printing in consecutive order in one setting. Mechanisms in the machine for indexing the articles to be decorated in register together with the printing screen which carries the indicia to be printed on the three of the four sides of the articles in side-by-side relationship.

11 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEBAPR H ISI? 3, 654, 856 SHEET 2 BF 5 INVENTOR 79mm; M6155 PATENTEDAPR 1 1 m2 SHEET 3 OF 5 INVENTOR 72/0/01: 0554/ PATENTEUAPR 11 m2 3. 654.856

sHwunFs INVENTOR Eva/Ms, 144 0115 f l/Pram JPJR/POI" ATTORN EYS PATENTEDAPR 1 1 m2 SHEET 5 OF 5 INVENTOR 7190/1/15 0/![4/ BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to printing machines, more particularly to screen printing machines, for decorating articles which are rectangular in section such as bottles or the like and to mechanisms in the machine for printing three of the four sides of such article in consecutive order in one setting thereof.

Screen printing machines for applying indicia to bottles of various shapes are known including machines for printing indicia on flat surfaces of articles which have a rectangular or square section as is described in my co-pending application, Ser. No. 700,856, filed Jan. 26, 1968 (now abandoned). When more than one face of such a flat-faced article has to be printed, the machine has to be stopped, the article unclamped and reset, and the printing screen exchanged with another one having the indicia for the next face. As far as it is known there is no other choice than to proceed in this manner in the case of articles having a rectangular or multi-faced shape. Up to the present time there has been no other mode of operation known in the case of articles having a rectangular section. The problem of improving this operation by corresponding mechanization of a printing machine has been solved by this invention.

SUMMARY The invention consists in such novel features, construction arrangements, combination of parts and improvements as may be shown and described in connection with the apparatus herein disclosed by way of example only and as illustrative of a preferred embodiment. Within the purview of the invention is to mechanize the operation of indicia on three of the four faces of a receptacle, such as a bottle rectangular in section without changing the setting of the bottle and by arranging the printing forms in a side-by-side relationship on one screen and by indexing the bottle and the screen together in register between the actual printing operations so that an uninterrupted process is achieved. Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereafter and in part will be obvious herefrom or may be learned by practicing the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

It is an object of the present invention to provide mechanisms for printing indicia and like decorations on the faces of articles such as receptacles rectangular or square in section.

Furthermore it is an object of the invention to provide a printing machine utilizing the screen printing process for applying indicia in consecutive order to three of the four sides of substantially rectangular or square shaped receptacles, such as, bottles.

Another object of the invention is to provide mechanical means for coordinating the indexing of the article to be printed on and the screen on which the printing forms of the indicia are arranged in a side-by-side relationship.

Various further and more specific purposes, features and advantages will clearly appear from the detailed description given below taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms part of this specification and illustrates merely by way of example one embodiment of the device of the inventron.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the following description and in the claims, parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but such names are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit. Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing in which FIG. 1 is a vertical section of the machine showing the mechanisms for printing indicia on one of the four sides of a rectangularly shaped bottle;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machine;

FIG. 3 is an axial section of the hydraulic cylinder for lowering the bottle holder during the indexing period.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the squeegee operation group of the machine.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the subassembly of the printing screen supporting and indexing group.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the article holding and turning group.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in more detail to the drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment by which the invention may be realized, there is in FIG. 1 a vertical section of the printing machine and in FIG. 2 a plan view thereof. The machine has two side frames 11,12 which are braced by the crossbraces 13,14 and by the various bars and rods for the operating mechanisms, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 in more detail. The operating mechanisms comprise three distinctly individual groups which cooperate with one another, that is, the printing screen supporting and indexing group, the squeegee operation group and the article holding group. The printing screen supporting group 10, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a frame 15 with a left side wall 16, a right side wall 17, a rear bar 18 and a front spacer 19. Left side wall 16 and right side wall 17 have extensions 20 and 21, respectively, which support the printing screen frame 22 with the screen 23 fastened thereon. Parallel to rear bar 18 and extending between the supporting plates 24, 25 mounted on side frames 11, 12, respectively, is a square bar 26, on which the supporting rollers 27, 28 ride. Rollers 27, 28 are freely rotatably mounted on rear bar 18. Front spacer 19 consists of a hollow body containing an antifriction bearing for longitudinal movement on a cross rod 29 which is fastened on plates 24, 25. Thus, frame 15 and screen 23 supported thereby is glidingly supported by square bar 26 and by cross rod 29. A long hydraulic cylinder 30 and a short hydraulic cylinder 31 are both fastened on supporting plate 24. A threaded rod 32 is fastened on plates 24, 25 and extends through clearance holes in walls 16 and 17. Adjustable stops 33, 34 are arranged on rod 32 for limiting the travel of frame 15. The piston rod 37 of long cylinder 30 is fastened on side wall 17 of frame 15, and the piston rod 38 of short cylinder 31 is fastened on side wall 16 of frame 15. Hingedly suspended on a bracket 35 mounted on the inside of left side wall 16 is a rack bar 36 which can freely swing up and down.

The second group of the operating mechanisms comprises the squeegee operation group 40, which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

A support bracket 41 is immovably mounted on the bars 42 and 43. Both bars are fixedly attached on plates 24, 25. Near the front of the machine a bracket 44 is placed on top of bracket 41 and a further bracket 45 is fastened on top of bracket 41 near the rear end thereof. An hydraulic cylinder 46 is bolted on bracket 45. Cylinder 46 is extending parallel to bracket 41, so that the center line thereof is arranged at a right angle from bars 42 and 43. The piston rod 47 of cylinder 46 passes glidingly through a bore in bracket 44 and is fastened to the squeegee supporting bracket 48. Two guide bars 49, 50 are slidingly arranged on the right and on the left side, respectively, of cylinder 46 in bushings 51,52 in brackets 44,45. Guide bars 49,50 are also fastened on bracket 48. Above cylinder 46 a threaded bar 53 is attached on bracket 48. Threaded bar 53 has adjustable stops 54, 55 thereon and can pass freely through a hole 56 in bracket 44. By stops 54,55 the stroke of cylinder 46 can be accurately limited. Squeegee supporting bracket 48 has a flange 57 at the lower end thereof, projecting therefrom at right angle. An hydraulic cylinder 58 is attached to flange 57 on a base plate 59. Two guide columns 60,61 are arranged right and left of cylinder 58. Columns 60,61 carry a cross bar 62 which extends across the top of cylinder 58. The piston rod 63 and columns 60,61 are arranged to glide downward through bores in base plate 59 and flange 57 and carry at the lower end thereof a plate 64 and a bar 65 on which the squeegee block 66 is fastened, carrying a squeegee strip 67 usually made of rubber or the like resilient, flexible material. An adjustment screw 68 which has a locknut 69 and a small handwheel 70, is arranged in the center of cross bar 62 for controlling the travel of the downward stroke of cylinder 58 and the pressure of squeegee strip 67 on screen 23.

The third group of the operating mechanisms comprises the article holder group 80, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The article 81, for example, a bottle rectangular in section is rotatably held on a socket 82 by the pressure of an hydraulic cylinder 83. Socket 82 is attached to the end of a shaft 84 which is rotatably held in bearings 85 of a support bracket 86. Shaft 84 extends rearwardly and carries a gear 39 at the rear end thereof, so that gear 39 is engaged by gear rack bar 36. Hydraulic cylinder 83 is supported by a bracket 87. The piston rod 88 of cylinder 83 has a cone-shaped chucking end 89 which freely rotates on a ball bearing 90. Chucking end 89 is adapted to enter the neck of article 81. Support bracket 86 and bracket 87 are fastened on a plate 91, which is carried by the adjusting screws 92 of a vertically movable plate 93. Adjusting screws 92 permit the accurate positioning and leveling of article 87 with respect to screen 23. Plate 93 is mounted on the piston rod 94 of an hydraulic cylinder 95. A plate 96 is fastened on intermediate table 97. Cylinder 95 is firmly attached to plate 96 which carries also guide bushings 98, 99 for the vertical columns 100, 101. These columns are fastened on plate 93 for securing the trouble-free vertical movement thereof imposed thereon by hydraulic cylinder 95. A plate 102 is suspended at the lower end of columns 100, 101. An hydraulic cylinder 103 is mounted in the center of plate 102 as shown in FIG. 3. Cylinder 103 has only a short stroke but has a larger piston diameter than cylinder 95. The piston rod 104 of cylinder 103 is arranged to abut against the rear end of cylinder 95 when plate 93, 91 and the article holding mechanism is in the upper position holding article 81 against the underside of screen 23; in other words: when the article is held in the operating, i.e. printing, position.

THE OPERATION OF THE MACHINE The indicia which are to be printed on the article, are stenciled on the screen in such manner that the indicia are laid side-by-side in the positions marked A, B and C (FIG. With cylinder 95 of the article holding group de-energized so that the article holder is in its lowest position, an article, for example a bottle with a square cross-section, is placed on socket 82 and is firmly clamped by energizing cylinder 83. Screen printing ink is poured on the screen and the article is lifted by cylinder 95 to contact the screen with the first of the three faces to be decorated. Frame has been moved over by long cylinder 30 so that stencil A" is now in the precisely registered position over the face of the article. This is the starting condition of the operation. Squeegee holder is moved forward with squeegee 67 lifted by cylinder 58. In the forward position, squeegee is lowered onto the screen exerting a certain pressure thereon and cylinder 46 now pulls squeegee 67 rearward over the screen, performing thus the printing stroke. At the end of the stroke, squeegee is lifted off the screen. Plate 102 had been lifted together gear article holder 80 so that piston rod 104 abutted against the lower end of cylinder 95. When now pressurized fluid is admitted under the piston of cylinder 103, it is pulled down against the power of cylinder 95, because the piston area of cylinder 103 is larger than the area of the piston of cylinder 95. Article holder 80 is pulled down with cylinder 103, giving it just enough clearance for the article below the screen to be rotated. In this position frame 10 is indexed over by short cylinder 31 so that indicia B get into the printing position. Rack bar 36 on frame 10 engaging gear 39 on shaft 84 which carries socket 82, has rotated by its movement with frame 10 hear 39 and thus the article through 90, so that the second face to be decorated is in the printing position below the stencil B. Cylinder 103 is de-energized and cylinder 95 lifts again the article on the article holder against the screen. The printing process is performed as described above, and the next following indexing operation is also performed in the same sequence of steps with the exception that now long cylinder 30 moves frame 10 entirely over so that indicia stencil C gets into the proper position while the article is rotated to present the third face to the screen. After this last printing step has been performed, squeegee is in the rear and lifted position, cylinder 95 is de-energized whereupon article holder is in its lowermost position so that the freshly decorated article can be taken out, and a new article can be clamped in the article holder. Long cylinder 30 moves frame 10 back to its starting position. Since rack bar 36 is pivotally mounted on bracket 35 on frame 10, it is always engaged with the teeth of gear 39 by its own weight, securing thus the correct indexing rotation of the article to be printed.

It is understood that the entire operation of the machine can be fully automated since the sequence of operations is very While the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a certain preferred example which gives satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the principle of the invention, that various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A screen printing machine for printing indicia on a plurality of sides of multi-sided article in consecutive order, said machine having side frames and cross braces extending between said frames, said machine comprising a printing screen, first means supporting said screen, said first means movably arranged between said side frames, screen displacement means linked to said first means for indexingly displacing said first means and thereby said printing screen to predetermined positions between said side frames, second means supporting a squeegee operable on said screen, said squeegee being operable on said printing screen on one side of said screen, said second means being movably arranged at right angle to said first means, third vertically movable means supporting an article to be printed on against said screen, said article being moved against said screen on the other side of said screen so that said squeegee and said article are on opposite sides of said screen, said third means having mechanism rotatably indexing said article sequentially for screen printing said article on a plurality of surfaces of said article linking means linking said article indexing mechanism with said screen displacement means for indexingly displacing said printing screen to a predetermined position when said article is rotatably indexed to a predetermined surface on said article so that a predetermined area of said screen contacts a predetermined surface on said article for printing on said predetermined surface on said article, different areas of said screen being contactable by different surfaces of said article, and means connected between said third means and said second means for holding said third means stationary with the surface of the article to be printed against said screen during motion of said second means for moving said squeegee on said screen and printing thereby said article surface held against said screen.

2. A screen printing machine according to claim 1, said first means'comprising a gliding frame supported on said cross braces, a threaded rod extending between said side frames, adjustable stops on said rod for limiting the travel of said frame, said rod passing freely through said frame, and two fluidoperated power means connected to said gliding frame and one of which having a long stroke and the other one having a short stroke, said first means moving said frame glidingly from a first position of said printing screen to a second and a third position in consecutive order in indexed relationship to the indexing of said article, said first, second and third positions of said gliding frame corresponding to predetermined surfaces of said article, whereby said indexing mechanism for said article and said gliding frame are indexed to predetermined corresponding positions.

3. A screen printing machine according to claim 1, said second means comprising a first fluid-operating power means connected to said squeegee and horizontally reciprocatingly moving said squeegee, a second fluid-operated power means on said second means, said second power means moving said squeegee vertically into and out of contact with said screen at the ends of the stroke, respectively, of said horizontally moving first power means, and adjustable stroke means on both said horizontally and said vertically moving power means.

4. A screen printing machine according to claim 2, said second means comprising a first fluid-operated power means connected to said squeegee and horizontally reciprocatingly moving said squeegee, a second fluid-operated power means on said second means, said second power means moving said squeegee vertically into and out of contact with said screen at the ends of the stroke, respectively, of said horizontally moving first power means, and adjustable stroke means on both said horizontally and said vertically moving power means.

5. A screen printing machine according to claim 1, said third means comprising a vertically operating main power means, having a long stroke and a vertically operating auxiliary power cylinder connected to said article supporting means and having a short stroke, said auxiliary power cylinder arranged for lowering said article out of contact with said screen during the rotatably indexing period of said article.

6. A screen printing machine according to claim 2, said third means comprising article supporting means, a vertically operating main power means, having a long stroke and a vertically operating auxiliary power cylinder connected to said article supporting means and having a short stroke, said auxiliary power cylinder arranged for lowering said article out of contact with said screen during the rotatably indexing period of said article.

7. A screen printing machine according to claim 3, said third means comprising article supporting means, a vertically operating main power means, having a long stroke and a vertically operating auxiliary power cylinder connected to said article supporting means and having a short stroke, said auxiliary power cylinder arranged for lowering said article out of contact with said screen during the rotatably indexing period of said article.

8. A screen printing machine according to claim 2, said rotatably indexing mechanism comprising a rack bar pivotally mounted on said gliding frame, a gear meshing with said rack bar, and shaft means supporting said gear.

9. A screen printing machine according to claim 6, and printing indicia in side-by-side relation on said screen, said article having four sides, said indicia applicable to said three of the four sides of said article, said two fluid-operating means arranged for moving said screen from said first position of said indicia on said screen to said second and third positions while rotatably indexing said article in angle increments, respectively.

10. A screen printing machine according to claim 4, and printing indicia in side-by-side relation on said screen, said article having four sides, said indicia applicable to said three of the four sides of said article, said two fluid-operating means arranged for moving said screen from said two first position of said indicia on said screen to said second and third positions while rotatably indexing said article in 90 angle increments, respectively.

11. A screen printing machine according to claim 2, and printing indicia in side-by-side relation on said screen, said article having four sides, said indicia applicable to said three of the four sides of said article, said two fluid-operating means arranged for moving said screen from said first position of said indicia on said screen to said second and third positions while rotatably indexing said article in 90 angle increments, respectively. 

1. A screen printing machine for printing indicia on a plurality of sides of multi-sided article in consecutive order, said machine having side frames and cross braces extending between said frames, said machine comprising a printing screen, first means supporting said screen, said first means movably arranged between said side frames, screen displacement means linked to said first means for indexingly displacing said first means and thereby said printing screen to predetermined positions between said side frames, second means supporting a squeegee operable on said screen, said squeegee being operable on said printing screen on one side of said screen, said second means being movably arranged at right angle to said first means, third vertically movable means supporting an article to be printed on against said screen, said article being moved against said screen on the other side of said screen so that said squeegee and said article are on opposite sides of said screen, said third means havinG mechanism rotatably indexing said article sequentially for screen printing said article on a plurality of surfaces of said article linking means linking said article indexing mechanism with said screen displacement means for indexingly displacing said printing screen to a predetermined position when said article is rotatably indexed to a predetermined surface on said article so that a predetermined area of said screen contacts a predetermined surface on said article for printing on said predetermined surface on said article, different areas of said screen being contactable by different surfaces of said article, and means connected between said third means and said second means for holding said third means stationary with the surface of the article to be printed against said screen during motion of said second means for moving said squeegee on said screen and printing thereby said article surface held against said screen.
 2. A screen printing machine according to claim 1, said first means comprising a gliding frame supported on said cross braces, a threaded rod extending between said side frames, adjustable stops on said rod for limiting the travel of said frame, said rod passing freely through said frame, and two fluid-operated power means connected to said gliding frame and one of which having a long stroke and the other one having a short stroke, said first means moving said frame glidingly from a first position of said printing screen to a second and a third position in consecutive order in indexed relationship to the indexing of said article, said first, second and third positions of said gliding frame corresponding to predetermined surfaces of said article, whereby said indexing mechanism for said article and said gliding frame are indexed to predetermined corresponding positions.
 3. A screen printing machine according to claim 1, said second means comprising a first fluid-operating power means connected to said squeegee and horizontally reciprocatingly moving said squeegee, a second fluid-operated power means on said second means, said second power means moving said squeegee vertically into and out of contact with said screen at the ends of the stroke, respectively, of said horizontally moving first power means, and adjustable stroke means on both said horizontally and said vertically moving power means.
 4. A screen printing machine according to claim 2, said second means comprising a first fluid-operated power means connected to said squeegee and horizontally reciprocatingly moving said squeegee, a second fluid-operated power means on said second means, said second power means moving said squeegee vertically into and out of contact with said screen at the ends of the stroke, respectively, of said horizontally moving first power means, and adjustable stroke means on both said horizontally and said vertically moving power means.
 5. A screen printing machine according to claim 1, said third means comprising a vertically operating main power means, having a long stroke and a vertically operating auxiliary power cylinder connected to said article supporting means and having a short stroke, said auxiliary power cylinder arranged for lowering said article out of contact with said screen during the rotatably indexing period of said article.
 6. A screen printing machine according to claim 2, said third means comprising article supporting means, a vertically operating main power means, having a long stroke and a vertically operating auxiliary power cylinder connected to said article supporting means and having a short stroke, said auxiliary power cylinder arranged for lowering said article out of contact with said screen during the rotatably indexing period of said article.
 7. A screen printing machine according to claim 3, said third means comprising article supporting means, a vertically operating main power means, having a long stroke and a vertically operating auxiliary power cylinder connected to said article supporting means and having a short stroke, Said auxiliary power cylinder arranged for lowering said article out of contact with said screen during the rotatably indexing period of said article.
 8. A screen printing machine according to claim 2, said rotatably indexing mechanism comprising a rack bar pivotally mounted on said gliding frame, a gear meshing with said rack bar, and shaft means supporting said gear.
 9. A screen printing machine according to claim 6, and printing indicia in side-by-side relation on said screen, said article having four sides, said indicia applicable to said three of the four sides of said article, said two fluid-operating means arranged for moving said screen from said first position of said indicia on said screen to said second and third positions while rotatably indexing said article in 90* angle increments, respectively.
 10. A screen printing machine according to claim 4, and printing indicia in side-by-side relation on said screen, said article having four sides, said indicia applicable to said three of the four sides of said article, said two fluid-operating means arranged for moving said screen from said two first position of said indicia on said screen to said second and third positions while rotatably indexing said article in 90* angle increments, respectively.
 11. A screen printing machine according to claim 2, and printing indicia in side-by-side relation on said screen, said article having four sides, said indicia applicable to said three of the four sides of said article, said two fluid-operating means arranged for moving said screen from said first position of said indicia on said screen to said second and third positions while rotatably indexing said article in 90* angle increments, respectively. 